Task Force 58
by ARC Alpha 0-1
Summary: A story that begins in 1945, the effects travel much greater distances then ever thought possible. Change one event in history, change the world.
1. Chapter 1

**Part 1**

Date: September 18, 1944  
Details: American forces reach the Siegfried Line of western Germany two days ago. A special ops team infiltrated a secret underground bunker 5 miles behind the enemy's lines. A number of ranking military officials and top scientists were captured. Operation Clown Face is now returning to Allied held territory.

Pvt. Dan Shercom sat atop his recon jeer and stared into the wooded area he had parked the jeep in front of. Major Estmen had told him to be in this spot at midnight and to wait there until he was told to come back. Dan just thought this was punishment for putting a poison berry into Gunner's food. So he had sat there for hours.  
Dan checked his watch. 2:00am. Damn, how long did he have to stay out here? Dan's gaze suddenly snapped to the woods. Someone was coming through toward him. Dan jumped down behind the jeep, after grabbing his cricket and his Thompson. He clicked the cricket twice, the sign that he was American. He immediately heard another two clicks from the person in the woods. Dan looked over the edge of the jeep. The rustling grew louder and Dan saw something. A figure dressed in complete black clothing bust from the woods at full speed, ran straight for the jeep and jumped behind it beside Dan. The figure removed his helmet. Underneath was a 23 year old man. He looked exhausted, like he had been running for hours.  
"Water," croaked the man.  
Dan pulled out his cantin and gave it to the man. The man drank. He finished the whole cantin without stopping for air. When he had finished he looked at Dan.  
"Get me to your commander, right now."  
"Yes sir," said Dan. Dan helped the man into the passenger side of the jeep then jumped into the driver seat and started the engine. They drove in silence, save for the drone of the jeep's engine. Dan parked right in front of the barn that served as the Allies' command center. Dan jumped out and helped the man out of his seat and into the building. A young lieutenant sat at the reception desk.  
"We need to see Major Estmen right away! "shouted Dan.  
"What's the meaning of this Shercom? The Major is on priority communiqué with Colonel Yets. You'll have to wait."  
The man in black seemed to regain some of his strength because he shoved Dan away then socked the lieutenant right in the jaw, dropping him to the floor.  
"Listen you fucking moron, the information I have must get to General Eisenhower now, it could make or brake our war effort," said the man. With that, he kicked the lieutenant in the stomach and marched into the office.  
Major Estmen was sitting behind his desk talking to someone on a phone, Colonel Yets probably. Major Estmen looked up at the intruder in alarm, then calmed.  
"Sir, I have an emergence, I'll call you back," said Estmen. Then he hung up the phone and looked at the man.  
"What news do you have for me Lyell?" said Estmen.  
"We failed sir."


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2**

The B-17 rocked in the turbulence as it flew over the Baltic Sea. The planes destination was a small island just off the coast of Sweden. Its cargo was a lone man sitting bundled in a blanket near the front of the aircraft.

Lieutenant Lyell White sat and starred out the window of the B-17 into the infinite darkness beyond. Below was the Baltic Sea, nothing but cold water and aquatic animals. Lyell had been sent on a black ops mission to capture scientists that were key to the invention of the ultimate weapon. A weapon so powerful it could destroy an entire army in the blink of an eye. No second chances.

The mission, codenamed Clown Face, had been going well but it never had a chance. The Germans had somehow known that the same ops team would be there. As the team was leaving the secret underground compound that housed the scientist, fire broke from all sides. Half of the team had taken cover behind what had appeared to be food crates, but a single round fired by a German soldier uncovered its true identity. In a brief explosion of gunpowder, the men behind the crates vanished. The numerous captured scientists had already been rounded up when Lyell and his commanding officer, Captain Jim Hark, started to run for the Allied territory. Captain Hark had been 10 yards ahead of Lyell. They ran for there lives. For one brief instant Lyell thought them home free, but he was mistaken. As Hark ran he didn't see the threat in front of him. The mine catapulted him 50 yards right into a tree. He died on impact. That was when Lyell realized he was the only survivor. He had to get back to his own forces and tell them. That was when he met Pvt. Shercom and Major Estmen. That's what landed him on this flight.

"Lieutenant! We land in 5 minutes. Be ready!" yelled the navigator over the whine of the engines.

Lyell unwrapped himself from his blanket and went up to the cockpit. Before he reached the cockpit, Lyell heard the pilot exclaim in disbelief, "Sweet Jesus."

Lyell came up behind the pilot's chair and looked out. It couldn't be. The island was in flames. The whole island, the small village, the airfield, everything. At that moment a voice came over the comm, it was German. The Navigator said that the person on the other end was telling them to prepare for their deaths. The co-pilot told the Lyell that a German aircraft was firing on them. He advised that he should strap on a parachute. Lyell just laughed.

"They don't want me to live. Someone in our organization has leaked information to the enemy." The co-pilot looked at him puzzled then relived what he was saying.

"Oh shit"

A machine gun sounded and rounds flew toward the plane and hit the fuel tanks. The B-17 Flying Fortress exploded in a gigantic fireball of flames and molten metal.


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 3**

Date: April 30, 1945

Details: The Battle of Berlin is about to commence. Major Harry Estmen briefs his men on the coming battle.

"Listen up boys, play time is over. Time to take this fight to Hitler himself. We attack Berlin in one hour. Gear up and get to a transport. Dismissed"

Pvt. Dan Shercom made his way back to his tent. He looked around and saw friends joking and laughing, some writing a letter to family or their girl back home. Dan wished he had that opportunity. He didn't have a girlfriend and sadly, the rest of his family had be killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor. That's what made him join. Many others like him had joined for the same reasons. Dan continued walking back to his tent when he heard someone calling him

"Dan! Hey Dan!"

It was Dan's buddy Jeff from back home.

"Hey Jeff, how's it going?"

"Oh come on Dan, aren't you excited? We're attacking Berlin. Berlin Dan. Hell if we win we could end this war in a couple weeks. You can't tell me you haven't wanted to take a few shots at Big H."

"Big H" as Jeff used it meant Hitler. Dan was still wondering were Jeff had gotten it from.

" 'Course I want to Jeff, its just…"

"'Just what'?" asked Jeff, suddenly growing serious.

"I don't know, its just ever since that Lyell guy got here and left I've had this sinking feeling that something went really wrong on that mission he was on. And I mean really wrong. I don't know man, I might not even go. Mark my words Jeff, something is amiss here, and I don't want to be caught in the middle of it."

"Dan…wha? You can't be serious Dan."

"Jeff, I'm not going. You shouldn't go either. Look, I don't want to talk anymore." With that, Dan continued walking. Jeff, looking deeperly angered, did a sharp about face and marched off to get his gear.

One Hour Later

Men yelled and ran around, check equipment and material necessary for the battle. Sargents shouted at their commands some encouraging words before the left. The noice of the tanks and transport trucks engines was deafening. Jeff Philips sat on the side of his squads only support vehicle, a Sherman tank. He could feel the engine vibrating in the metal frame. Major Estmen appeared from the command tent with a megaphone in his hands.

"Men," he said, "You are brave fighters, you have a 50 mile journey ahead of you. Don't let me keep you waiting. Lock and load gentlemen. Good Luck, and God's Speed."

The soldiers cheered to the major as the rolled past on Shermans and trucks alike. Jeff kissed his cross his mother had given him and said a pray.

"God be with us," he finished. The tanks rolled on into the early morning mist.

Dan watched his friends all leave on the tanks and was almost sorry he was not with them. But Dan knew he was right to stay. Something horrible was about to happen. He could feel that everyone who had just left wasn't coming back. He should have gone with them.

Dan awoke with a start that night to a loud, close explosion. He grabbed his Thompson machine gun and ran outside. He looked up into the sky and saw in horror, a squadron of P-51 Mustangs ingaged high over the camp. One had just been blown up and its hulk was falling back to earth. Dan watched the battle overheard and noticed that he had no idea what kind of planes the Mustangs were flying against. Meanwhile, the hulk continued to fall. Dan watched it until is crashed into the forest on the other side of the camp. Dan watched as more Mustangs were shot down. Dan couldn't believe it. Nothing could be a Mustang, nothing in the word. And here they were, dropping like flies.

All of a sudden, the brightest light Dan had ever seen lit the sky up brighter then day. Dan blinked his eyes for a moment.

"What the hell was that?"

As if to answer, the dogfight overhead stopped. Dan looked up and saw the last Mustang falling from the sky. Then he saw the mystery fighters move into strafing position. Dan jumped out of the way as three of them commenced a strafing run. Dan jumped into the prefabed wooded mess hall. A second trio took a run. Dan saw the command tent explode from a missile launched from one of the fighters. A third trio destroyed the troop tents. The forth trio decended on the mess hall like birds of prey coming in for the kill. Dan was blown against the wall be a missile blast that collapsed the whole building. Dan was pinned by a piece of roof. Dan watched as the planes flew away and noticed something before he pasted out. The planes looked as if they were rockets themselves.

Dan woke with a jump then calmed as he saw he was being pulled out of the wreckage of the mess hall by American soldiers. Dan looked around and saw more soldiers scouring the rest of the base, he also saw a German Tiger and Panzer tank, along with several Shermans, all painted in American colors.

"Who…are…you?" Dan managed to croak, "Were are the rest of the soldiers?"

"Sorry kid, we're all that's left. Welcome to Task Force 58.


	4. Chapter 4

**Part 4**

Dan hid behind a dumpster and signaled to the others that the alley was clear. One Shot, the team's sniper advanced first, he was looking through the scope of his Springfield rifle.

"Clear"

Dan advanced forward and stopped at the end of the alley way. One Shot was right on his tail. Three more men moved up. One of them, Chris, peered around the corner.

"I got one German emplaced machine gun. Four at the gun. Can't tell about snipers."

"Right, OK boys, we have to get out of this alley and across the street," said Sergeant Jim Frak from behind. He came up to the corner, pushing Chris back. "I'll go first, then Chris, Dan, Shot, Dallis, then Jacobs. Got it?"

"Yes sir," they said in unison.

"Good." Sergeant Frak pulled the pin on a grenade and lobbed it at the machine gun, it was to far away for him to be able to clear it with a grenade, so shrapnel would have to suffice. The grenade detonated. Frak ran across the street as the Germans were readying the gun. Chris ran across next. The Germans took a few shots at him but missed. It was Dan's turn next. Shot was ready with his Springfield. As Shot leaned out to get a shot off Dan sprinted across. The machine gun opened fire but was quickly silenced by Shot who put a bullet in the head of the operator. Shot sprinted across. Before the Germans could get there gun working again, Dallis and Jacobs started to ran across close together. But fate was not on their side. The machine gun opened fire as Frak told them to get down. It was too late. The machine gun rounds tore through the two man.

"Shit!" shouted Frak. He had leaned out and was firing wildly in the machine guns direction. "You crazy fanatical son of a bitches! I'll kill you ever last one!" Shot had gotten Frak away from the wall and stopped the gun firing.

"Sir, stop. You can't help them. Come on Pete, we have a mission to accomplish."

Frak got up, "You're…Y…You're right Shot." As if something was switched back on, Frak suddenly became the Sergeant they had always known. "Ok, we have a mission. Let's get it done."

The group's sole mission was to go in and destroy and anti-air gun that was constantly downing Allied planes. The plan was simple. Several teams infiltrate Paris and start destroying anti-air guns so the Allied bombing can commence. The war had not gone well at all for the Allied after the attack on Berlin. Word had it that the Germans had been working on a new type of bomb. The HQ boys had been calling it an Atom Bomb or A-Bomb. They had used it at Berlin to decimate the Allied army. With that last piece of the puzzle, Dan Shercom had figured out what Operation Clown Face had been. Lyell and his team had gone in to extract material and scientists for use on the US's A-Bomb project. That had been the "Ultimate Weapon" Lyell had been speaking of.

As the even smaller team now moved through the broken street and building of Paris, they met little resistance as most of the German forces were on the out skirts of the city, making sure no one got in. They really didn't have soldiers trying to drive anyone out. They knew they were close when they heard the distinctive "thump" of an anti-air gun. The group started to move more quietly and cautiously then they had been. The continued until Frak signaled for them to stop.

"Ok, our only way to that gun is down that street," Frak pointed down the street to a small barricade with a machine gun mounted on it. "Ok, here's how I want this. Chris, you go up the left side of the street, Dan you go up the right. I'll follow you. Shot, I want you and your Springfield up in that building," he pointed to a corner of one of the building on the street, the corner right next to the machine gun, "We move when you give the signal."

"Yes sir," Shot disappeared into the shadows while the others got into position.

A single shot rang out and the German at the barricade fell, that was the signal. The three men charged up the street as the other Germans just started to realize what was going on. More Germans dropped to sniper rounds, Shot was giving them hell. Chris was the first over the barricade and started to fire his M1 Garand with great precision. Dan and Frak clambered over the barricade soon after, firing their weapons as well. The Germans never knew what hit them.

Chris ran across the courtyard firing madly. A grenade exploded near him and he was thrown behind a barrel. A fuel barrel. Chris hurried to get up but was too late. One of the surviving German threw another grenade and it land next to the barrel. Chris was still on the ground.

"Ahh, shit," were his last words. The barrel exploded and Chris was incinerated.

As Dan gunned down the last German, Frak starred on as if he had been hit by a train, tears in his eyes. Shot came walking up behind him.

"He fought good sir, you can mourn him later, right now, though, we have a job to finish. Frak nodded and pulled a satchel charge from his pack and threw it to Dan. Dan put it next to the anti-air gun and set it on a 30 second delay.

"30 seconds!"

Frak and Shot were already over the barricade and Dan followed suit. As he made it over the barricade the anti-air gun exploded.

"Now, we can only hope that the other teams hit their targets as well. But we have bigger problems to worry about. Like how we are going to get out of here before it all goes up in flames," said Frak.

Just then, a German supply truck stopped at an abandoned checkpoint. Apparently the driver didn't know it had been abandoned.

"Ah, sir, I think getting out of here just got a whole lot easier."

"Got that right, Shot. Alright, lets commandeer us a truck."

Frak cocked his Thompson and set off toward the truck.


	5. Chapter 5

**Part 5**

Paris had been completely destroyed. Hundreds of Allied bombers had descended on the besieged city and had give it all they had. Sergeant Frak, One Shot and Dan had made it out mere minutes before hell had fallen from the sky. They had captured the German truck and a few uniforms to make their escape. The truck had been going top speed when the bombs started to drop.

Now, the three men were inside a B-17, along with a dozen others. They were heading over the English channel toward Britain.

Over the load roar of the Flying Fortress's engines, Sergeant Frak was taking to the Navigator. "How long before we set down?" Frak shouted over the engines.

"About 15 more minutes sir!"

"Good, I―"

"Holy shit" interrupted the pilot and co-pilot together. Frak looked out the window.

"What the hell are those?"

The pilot was starting slow evasive maneuvers. "Those are some new fighter from the Germans. Me-262 I think." To the gunners, "Hit them if you can boys, they won't take use without a fight." Finally, to the passengers," Strap into some parachutes soldiers; this could turn out to be a not so pleasant flight. Jump as soon as you're ready." The crew and the soldiers did what they were told. The B-17's machine guns began to roar and fill the air with hot projectiles. It was no good though. The 262s were flying circles around the B-17. The 262s took strafing runs on the B-17. The German fighters riddled holes in the gigantic plane. Dan had strapped on a parachute and look out a side window for a look at their attackers. To his amazement, they were the same type that had attack the camp he had been at during the Battle of Berlin and the atomic bomb detonation.

Frak walked down the middle of the two lines of men on either side of the cargo area. Checking and double checking their parachutes. As he neared the front of the line, he hit the door release and the cargo door opened. Frak look out and saw a 262 coming up behind their plane. Fearing a machine gun burst, Frak shout for everyone to get down. He was too late to lower himself. Instead of bullets shredding through him, the 262 had launched a rocket. It caught Frak full in the chest and propelled him into the cockpit where it exploded. The front half of the B-17 was instantly vaporized. The few men that had survived the explosion, including One Shot and Dan, leapt from the burning plane and parachuted into the water below. Dan was wonder when the 262s would circle back and kill them off. They never did. Instead, the pilots had angled toward the French coastline at top speed, higher then Dan could see. The answer for their departure became obvious seconds later. A bright light filled the dawn sky, a light as bright as the sun. As bright as an atomic bomb, Dan thought.

A mushroom cloud appeared over the British coastline.


	6. Chapter 6

**Part 6**

It was now almost a year since Britain had been destroyed, and peace was now over the earth. After the seven atomic bombs had detonated over the British Isles, the rest of the countries had surrendered, not wanting to suffer Europe's fate, Asia and the Americas had layed down their arms. The soldiers that had jumped from the burning B-17 had been picked up by an American sub and had been taken back to the US.

President Truman sat in his office. His head down. How could this have happened? He would have to ponder that question later. He had business to attend to. Truman gestured for his Secretary to bring in the guest. In walked One Shot and Dan.

"Boys take a seat"

"Thank you mister President," said One Shot

"Ok, soldiers, I want to now what you saw."

"An atomic bomb explode over Britain sir."

"So, it is true. And Berlin?"

"I was there sir," said Dan, "That was an atomic bomb too."

"Begging the President's pardon, but, why are you asking us?"

"Because I needed to hear it come from the mouths of G.I.s."

"Yes sir."

Truman suddenly began very serious. "I want you boys to listen and listen good. You are both with 58 right?" Both nodded. "I want you to tell Admiral Gress to but together a resistance. An underground resistance, do you understand. We are going to destroy those krauts if it's the last thing we do. Mark my words boys, they will pay." Returning to normal Truman turned back to the soldiers. "Tell Gress to create secret stockpiles of supplies and weapons. When the time is right, we will strike."

Bewildered Dan and One shot agreed.

"Good, then it is settled. Now go home, the war is over, and a secret one is about to begin."


End file.
